


To Regulate Imagination By Reality

by astraev



Category: Emelan - Pierce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:18:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astraev/pseuds/astraev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With their students neatly out of the way, the teachers sit down to talk about the business of continuing education for their mages.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Regulate Imagination By Reality

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mari4212](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mari4212/gifts).



"See you at the evening meal!" Lark called.  She waved as the four young adults latched the garden gate behind them. Led by Sandry, they were for once leaving behind Little Bear as they walked up the winding path towards the Fire Temple, where they would learn the art of meditation through movement.

Lark turned to the kitchen, which was in its usual post-breakfast state of disarray, and began straightening. She was thankful that the head dedicate of the Fire Temple was ready and willing to give the children the training in moving meditation, on this day and for the next several days, because while they were gone between breakfast and supper, a council was to be held to decide their fates.

Rosethorn came into the kitchen, and began  to help Lark . "Don't you need to do your weeding?" asked Lark, looking over at her friend. It was the  height of summer, and weeding was often the only thing on her friend's mind. Rosethorn didn't meet her eye s ,  nor did she answer .

Lark sighed, softly. Rosethorn and Lark cleaned the kitchen and set the table for their visitors, who slowly began to arrive. Frostpine was first, as ashen as Lark had ever seen him. Niko wasn't far behind, looking as languid and uninterested as he always did. "Good morning," Lark greeted them, as cheerful as ever, but received no affirmative response. The morning chores were quickly dealt with, and soon all four teachers were sitting silently at the table.

"Well, I am never one to want to deal with unpleasantness," said Rosethorn, with a note of irony. "But the main event starts at noon today and we might as well talk about it so that we can present a united front, if that is what is necessary."

Lark tried to fill in the resulting silence by pouring everyone lemonade. She responded gently, "We don't know exactly what this meeting is about, or why it might be scheduled to go on for days."

Niko leaned forward, sipping his drink. "We've reached the end of the education we can provide within the walls of this Temple city," he pointed out. "But as the  children  are not old enough to travel, no r old enough to be  journeymen , we are limited in our choices for future education."

"We have two choices at this point," said Frostpine, gruffly. "We either give full  mage credentials to the four  thirteen - year - old children in our charge, or we bind their powers until they come of age." His big arms were crossed across his chest, and he didn't look at the others. "I know that I, for one, refuse to be part of any binding." Lark reached over and patted Frostpine's shoulder, frowning. She had known of his history, but wouldn't have guessed immediately that it would be why he was upset. It made a lot of sense.

" Binding will be an option that's on the table," said Niko. He said it without emotion, and at that moment, Lark wondered what it must have been like to live in a world of magic since nearly infancy. She thought that having come into her magic in adulthood was perhaps the best thing to have given her empathy and compassion.

"So we'll have to push for Journeyman status," said Rosethorn, and she pounded her fist on the table. Lark's heart squeezed to see that it had been her bad fist, and that the power behind it was less than it  should have been. "It's the third way, and Dedicate Moonstream is usually open to third ways."

"It is the way of the Water temple," said Lark, mulling the thought in the air. She was thinking about how they could argue this diplomatically. "But for us to present that option, we'd all have to be ready to make sacrifices. We would have to travel too. We couldn't just sent them out into the world alone."

Niko shifted in his chair. "I have been bombarded with correspondences asking me when I would be traveling again. There's a conference in the south about scrying magics that I would much like to attend." He shrugged. "Bound or not, Trisana would benefit from that kind of atmosphere of learning."

"I think we all agree that we must not let our students be bound," said Lark. "They do have maturity beyond their years, even if they're only children." She listened to the bells chime. They had about half an hour before the other members of their  cabal would arrive.

"I think we all have journeys in mind," said Frostpine. Lark recalled that he had been speaking for months about visiting family and friends from his childhood days in the north .

"There is so much I want to see in Yanjing," said Rosethorn. "Letters and sketches do not do it justice, and Briar could use some education in the ways of the world."

"There are some amazing weavers in the south," admitted Lark. "It would be a very educational trip." There was a moment's pause. " So shall we ask that they be given journeyman status, and that they travel with us?"

###

While they were speaking who would ultimately decide the children's fates, Niko was their spokesperson. The continuation of the morning meeting was held over the midday meal, and Lark wondered if that decision was because it really was a casual meeting, or to give it the appearance of being so. Lark worried that it was the latter, as Moonstream had indicated thathe discussion might go on for days.

"We would like to grant the students Journeymen status and allow them to travel with their primary teachers," said Niko. "It avoids fully credentialing thirteen-year-old children, at the same time that it allows them to continue their education and have full use of their magic."

Dedicate Moonstream seemed surprised by this response, and held up her hand to show that she was considering it.

Duke Vedris had been quiet through most of the proceedings up until that point, which had included updates on the process and content of the education of the students. He spoke up then. "Excuse me," he said. "I'm afraid that I do have a request in regards to Sandry's education."

"By all means," said Dedicate Moonstream. "I believe that, as Sandreline's guardian, you do have the right to make a request."

"Sandry's father and mother were travelers. They were very fond of seeking out the novel and the strange, and Sandry traveled extensively in her formative years. Travel is the source of the traumas in her life, but very few of the joys." He sighed. "I know that the purpose of travel for Mages is to enlighten them to the ways of magic in other lands, but I do wish Sandry to learn more than how to be a Mage."

Lark's heart leapt into her throat. She knew that Sandry did not consider herself marriageable material, that Sandry did not have much interest in romance, or making a good marriage. She often clucked at herself for being less than proper, and the idea that Duke Vedris (an otherwise evenhanded man) might suggest that Sandry fulfill a marriage contract filled her with dread. "Duke Vedris, I am not sure what you're implying?" asked Lark.

"I wish to tutor Sandry in the art of statecraft," said Duke Vedris. "You cannot deny that Sandry is a natural leader, and judicious to a fault. She is a capable mage, but I believe that she would be an even more capable Duchess one day."

The dread that Lark felt was replaced with  revelation. "You wish to make her your heir?"

"Sandry will have to be convinced that she is the best person for the job," said the Duke. "She does not lead out of conceit, but rather when it is the best interest of everyone involved. Have you noticed?"

Lark thought of all the times that Sandry had wielded her power and confidence only for others. Sandry led the other children in defending Little Bear, who was sitting under the table, by the feet of all the teachers. Sandry had spun them together in the earthquake, she had woven them apart. Sandry had made bandages during the pirate summer and would have put her life into them -- and now could weave bandages with healing magics in the weft. Sandry had been the anchor when Briar had jumped into the underworld. She never did it for herself -- Sandry wanted to help others, didn't ask for help, didn't see that helping was leading.

" I' ve noticed," said Lark. Lark had warmed to the idea of travelling, since it had been decided. All the traveling shows in her youth, all the places and people and things she had seen and had wanted to see again. She turned to Dedicate Moonstream. "I believe that Winding Circle would be ill-served if we were to close Discipline Cottage," she said. "I'll stay and hold down the fort."

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually a story I had in my brain BEFORE your prompt. Sandry is my favorite too. Happy treat!


End file.
